Hawaii’s Koloa Rum is winning awards. But the big news is that you no longer have to be on Kauai to taste it.

Koloa’s Dark Rum was awarded a Gold Medal at the Rum Renaissance Festival in May, competing against 100 rums from around the world. This was the first year the Koloa Rum Company competed in the event. The Koloa Rum was also featured in a booth of craft and artisan spirits at the festival, as part of a select group of premium USA craft rum distilleries.

When Rick and I visited the Koloa distillery on Kauai last fall, the tasting room had just opened. We sampled the three types available: gold, dark and white. We left with a bottle of the dark and a bottle of Mai Tai mix. The combination produced some of the best Mai Tais I’ve tasted. At the time, I lamented the fact that the rum was sold only on Kauai — not available by mail order or in stores. That has now changed.

Along with the news of their gold medal, Koloa Rum Company has announced they have signed a distributorship deal that will allow the rum to leave the island. Company president Bob Gunter says the rum will soon be widely available in Hawaii and on the mainland. He also has plans for new products: “We don’t intend to rest on our laurels and new products will soon be introduced, including Kaua’i Spiced Rum and Ready-to-Drink Cocktails.”

If your image of rum is something you mix in a soft drink, you owe it to yourself to try a real premium rum like the Koloa Dark. It is easily sipped alone or mixed with a quality local juice or mix. Watch for its debut in stores near you!